William Roy Metcalfe (1873-1916)
South Shields bricklayer worked as a cook for Canadian Expeditionary Force
William was the oldest of the eleven children of South Shields joiner John William Metcalfe and his wife, Mary Jane Reay. In 1881 they were living in Dale Street, Westoe and, ten years later, had moved to a larger house in Gardener Street. In 1897 William married local girl Sussanah Wright and by 1901 they were sharing a house in Albion Street, with widowed Sarah Beadnell and her niece and their own two young sons. William was working as a bricklayer.
By 1910 William was living and working in Canada and he was joined in July by Sussanah and their four children who had sailed from Middlesbrough, Yorkshire to Montreal, Quebec on board the cargo ship Iona. The family settled in Montreal and, on 21 January 1915, William left his home and job as a bricklayer to enlist in the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) for which Sussanah gave her permission. At the end of February 1916, William as Gunner 85338 of the 6th Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery, found himself sailing across the Atlantic again.
After only two months in England, Gunner Metcalfe was drafted to France at the end of May to join the 2nd Artillery Brigade. For nine months he worked as a cook, not returning to duty in the field until 12 April 1916, when he rejoined at Ypres. The 2nd Brigade then moved on to the Somme and it was there, on 14 September 1916, in positions around Pozieres, that Gunner Metcalfe was killed in action. He is buried in Becourt Military Cemetery, east of Albert in France.
At the of the war, his wife Sussanah and the four youngest children returned to live in South Shields. His oldest son John, who had also served in the CEF, remained in Canada.
Civil Parish: South Shields
Birth date: 27-Sep-1873
Death date: 14-Sep-1916
Armed force/civilian: Army
Residence: 107 Dale Street, Westoe, South Shields (1881 census)
27 Gardener Street, Westoe, South Shields (1891 census)
10 Albion Street, South Shields (1901 census)
256a Liverpool Street, Montreal, Quebec, Canada (1915 enlistment papers)
Religion: Wesleyan
Employment: Bricklayer (1891 census)
Family: Parents: John W Metcalfe, Mary Jane Metcalfe nee Reay
Siblings: John Metcalfe, Dorothy F Metcalfe, Thomas James Metcalfe, David Y Metcalfe, Robert R Metcalfe, Annie Metcalfe, Mary Jane Metcalfe, Margaret Metcalfe, Arthur Metcalfe, Charles R Metcalfe
Spouse: Sussanah Metcalfe nee Wright
Children: John William Roy Metcalfe, Grace B Metcalfe, Margaret Metcalfe, Edward Metcalfe, Mabel Metcalfe
Military service:
85338
Gunner
6th Brigade Canadian Field Artillery
2nd Brigade Canadian Field Artillery
Medal(s): 1914/15 Star
Victory Medal
British War Medal
Memorial(s): Becourt Military Cemetery, Albert, Somme, France
Gender: Male
Contributed by Jayell, Durham